Oncology Specialist Nurse - Team Leader

Oncology Specialist Nurse | Team Leader | Full Time | Fixed Term Contract - 12 months | Leeds - LS8

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Chemotherapy Specialist Nurse Team Leader to join our Oncology team on full time, fixed term contract for 12 months.

• Shift Patterns: x4 shifts 08.00 - 18.00 - Monday-Friday
• 1 in 6 UKONS telephone triage on call from home

As the Oncology & Haematology Team leader, you are responsible for delivering nursing services to patients within the unit and to deputise for the cancer service lead. You will line manage a team of 5 chemotherapy nurses and 2 cancer service administrators.

Spire Leeds Hospital, located in Roundhay, Leeds, has been treating patients for almost 30 years. We are the region's largest private hospital in terms of the range of services we offer and the number of consultants we work with. The hospital offers a range of services and facilities including four operating theatres, a sterile services department, a dedicated endoscopy suite, and a diagnostic and imaging department with an MRI and CT scanner. There are outpatient and physiotherapy departments providing services six days per week

Duties and responsibilities

• Take responsibility for competency assessment of members of staff being line managed by you.
• Regular appraisals and 1:1s with those being line managed by you.
• Attending regular meetings on behalf of the cancer service lead.
• Ensuring safe staffing levels and managing rosters for team.
• Managing employee absence, including sickness, annual leave and other leave in line with absence policy in addition to managing employee behaviour in line with code of conduct.
• Participate in clinical audit within the chemotherapy service, raising the profile and enhancing the contribution of nursing to patient care and informing business and service development plans.
• To act as nurse in charge on shift and coordinate, providing clinical and managerial leadership to nursing and administration team.
• To respond to any reported incidents via DCIQ system and share learning with the team from these.
• Provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through all stages of treatment.
• Ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence-based nursing care for patients undergoing SACT.
• Use advanced history taking and assessment skills to assess health, health related and nursing needs of patients, taking into consideration the needs of their families and carers. Identify and initiate appropriate steps for effective care.
• Manage a patient caseload, ensuring patients' holistic needs are met and continually re-evaluated, as necessitated by changes in their health/health deterioration.
• Work autonomously whilst providing clinical leadership, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made ensuring clear documentation in the patient's records.
• Use advanced communication skills to explore patients' complex issues, thoughts and feelings, and refer to specialist supportive services as necessary.
• Ensure smooth patient pathway by liaising with external health and support teams as required eg community palliative care, GPs, DNs, hospital AOS, dieticians, medical secretaries etc
• Triage unwell SACT patients using UKONS triage assessment tool, advise re symptoms/prescribe medication, arrange investigations or hospital admission - in accordance with consultant advice.
• Provide out-of-hours support and triage for patients who develop acute treatment complications.
• Work alongside radiographers, outpatient staff and chemotherapy staff to ensure holistic care is maintained throughout Spire Healthcare Leeds Hospital.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in intravenous access, the management of central venous catheters, venepuncture, and chemotherapy delivery, including the management of anaphylaxis and extravasation.
• Practice intermediate life support to facilitate rapid stabilisation and the appropriate ongoing management of patients who develop treatment complications.
• Ensure all patients are fully informed of the risks and benefits of proposed procedures/treatments, contributing to the process of informed consent.
• Produce and provide all patients with relevant and accessible written information regarding their treatment, procedures and illness.
• Ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
• Work in line with and contribute to local delivery of national care standards.
• Supervise and participate in the delivery of programmes of education and training per the identified needs of clients, carers and others involved in their care.
• Work with junior staff to identify knowledge gaps in relation to SACT patients and ensure staff are appropriately educated.

Who we're looking for

• Registered nurse with a valid NMC Pin - essential
• Hold a relevant degree or equivalent - essential
• Evidence of post-registration professional development - essential
• Have undertaken an advanced communications course - essential
• Have undertaken advanced history taking and assessment course - desirable
• Have undertaken chemotherapy course - essential
• Team player - essential
• Excellent communication and organisational skills - essential
• Relevant clinical experience working with oncology services - essential
• Evidence of service development/improvements to current services
• Flexibility to meet the needs of the service (eg flexible working hours) - essential
• Ability to work accurately and reliably under pressure
• Ability to make decisions, organise and prioritise
• Evidence of commitment to customer care initiatives
• Knowledge and understanding of quality issues

Benefits

We offer employees a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• 35 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays
• Employer and employee contributory pension with flexible retirement options
• Spire for you' reward platform - discount and cashback for over 1000 retailers
• Free Bupa wellness screening
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Free onsite parking

Our Values

We are extremely proud of our heritage in private healthcare and of our values as an organisation:

• Driving clinical excellence
• Doing the right thing
• Caring is our passion
• Keeping it simple
• Delivering on our promises
• Succeeding and celebrating together
• Our people are our difference; it's their dedication, warmth and pursuit of excellence that sets Spire Healthcare apart.

For us, it's more than just treating patients; it's about looking after people

We commit to our employees well-being through work life balance, on-going development, support and reward.

Spire Healthcare is a leading independent hospital group in the United Kingdom and the largest in terms of revenue. From 39 hospitals and 8 clinics across England, Wales and Scotland, Spire Healthcare provides diagnostics, inpatient, day case and outpatient care.

Spire Healthcare are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture for all. Our people are our difference, it's their dedication, warmth and pursuit of excellence that sets Spire Healthcare apart.

For further information about this role or for an informal conversation about the range of career options available with Spire please contact Lauren Armitage on

Closing date: In order to streamline our recruitment process, we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications